Welcome to a personal glimpse into the life of a Realtor®, Professional Scrapbooker, Bargain Hunter, and Hurricane Katrina Survivor! View North Texas real estate information, community news, creative inspiration, great deals, product reviews and more!

If you are considering buying a home soon, you should read my FREE 81-page Home Buyer's Handbook! It is full of great, money-saving information about the entire home buying process from start to finish, as well as things to avoid. It also has a list of my recommended vendors as well as lenders and title companies. If you would like a free copy, CLICK HERE! I can email it to you in PDF format or I can provide it to you in print or on DVD.

The Grove is the newest Master Planned community located at the Northwest corner of Custer and Main in Frisco, TX! Home plans starting in the $600's on 65' lots and $700's on the 74' lots. The neighborhood will consist of walking trails, parks, Amenity center and community pool.

Plans and prices are now finalized and I have exclusive access to them! If you are interested in floor plans/prices for The Grove, please send me an email at Jlyne@kw.com and I will give you all the details!

Are you a home buyer looking for a home? There are many pitfalls that you need to avoid while searching. A good Realtor (like myself!) can help you avoid these red flag items during your home search. For instance, a heavy, overpowering scent in a home could mean that the seller is trying to hide something, such as a mold problem, pet damage, or even a sewer problem! To learn about more things to look out for, check out this article/video:

After the past recessions that have hindered the housing market, many people are wondering where the housing market may be headed in the next few years. While there are various opinions on the exact direction and the time frame that corresponds to the outcome, there are several factors that give us a pretty intelligent indication of where the real estate market for housing is headed.

According to Mark Boud, chief economist for Metrostudy, residential housing starts will continue a slow and steady climb between now and 2020 when the number of new single family housing units will reach 1.45 million units. This number will finally be equal to the housing industry's long-term yearly average. He also forecasts the following:

The national housing market will continue to remain under-supplied (as it is currently) through 2020.

The market is overloaded with higher-priced housing and an overt shortage of lower-priced "starter" homes.

Most markets should see a continuing opening for land purchases and developments in the next two years.

Overall, the price of housing is still overvalued somewhat, although not as much as the years prior to the last housing recession.

For a more detailed breakdown by Mr. Boud, please view his full forecast here:

Recent findings from the Pew Research Center show how demographic forces are driving population changes and reshaping how we live:

~ Fewer Americans are married. Only half of U.S. adults today are married, down from 70% in 1950. The increase in unmarried adults was greatest in those ages 50 and older—75% in the same time span—reflecting the rising divorce rate for the age cohort.

~ More generations are living together. There are nearly 61 million multi-generational households in the U.S. as of 2014, which includes two or more adult generations or grandparents and grandchildren. Growing Asian and Hispanic populations, which are more likely to live in multi-generational households than whites, explain some of the rise.

~ Women might never make up half the workforce. Women represented 46.8% of the U.S. labor force in 2015, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the share of women in the workforce will peak at 47.1% in 2025 before tapering off. The gender pay gap is closing, however, and is even narrower for young adults, with working women ages 25 to 34 making 90% of what their male counterparts made.

~ Immigrants are driving workforce growth. Growth in the U.S. working-age population (ages 25 to 64) will be driven by immigrants and their U.S.-born children through 2035 because of a lack of U.S. born children with U.S. born parents. There would be 18 million fewer working-age adults in 2035 without immigrants.

~ The share of middle-income households is falling. In 2010, 59% of American adults lived in middle-income households—those with disposable incomes that are two-thirds to double the national median disposable income—down from 62% in 1991. The decline of middle-income households in the U.S. was mirrored across Western Europe, but most Western European countries had a larger share of adults in middle-income households that the U.S.

Tom Hicks' home (largest estate in Dallas) has hit the market at $100 million! Do I have a buyer? :) The main house alone is 50,000+ square feet, and that doesn't include the fabulous guest house. There is also a huge recreation building with a full-size movie theater in the basement, perfect for entertaining throngs of friends or even strangers!The stove (from France) in the kitchen is worth $65K! No expense has been spared in the design and renovation of this gorgeous mansion.

Do you prefer more contemporary, modern home designs but would still like to live in Frisco? You're in luck! Check out the model homes in Phillips Creek Ranch here in Frisco... these stunning homes by an Australian company are sure to delight!

If you would like to take a look at these in person, please call me at (214) 909-8008 for a showing or for more details!

Frisco, Texas makes the "nice" list! Another great reason to buy a home in the Frisco area... if you would like to find your dream home, call me today at (214) 909-8008. Read on to find out more about Frisco making the "nice" list: